Creation of the Media: Ch 2 and 3

Reading Starr’s chapter on the American “Information Revolution,” I couldn’t help but relate some of the issues he brings up to the age we currently live in. Near the beginning of the chapter, Starr writes that by the beginning of the 19^th century, reading had become a “new activity,” and Americans were becoming acquainted with the idea of “keeping up with the times through newspapers” (86). 

Based on the conversation we had in class last Tuesday, it’s quite clear that Americans have gotten over the newspaper fad. But what struck me as interesting was not the ways in which we’ve come to no longer need a newspaper (technology, etc), but what we’ve come to expect from our news because of it.

For so many Americans during this Early Modern Period, reading was such a thrill, and words contained an immeasurable amount of power. The American Revolution and the new model of self-government that arose from it created a society were citizens felt an obligation to “keep up with the times,” according to Starr. I can imagine living during this time, when picking up the newspaper would have been the most thrilling part of my day. In short, reading was the only way of discovering what existed outside of one’s personal world.

Reading through these two chapters, I found myself transported into that world where reading had such an irreplaceable value. Starr does an excellent job of describing how writing had a substantial impact on what people believed and how they lived their lives. Obviously, as a student of literature, I see a tremendous amount of value in reading and discovery through the written word. But, I also see a society today that will settle for nothing less than real, moving images in their face.

The younger generation (I call them the “youtube generation,” and I’m probably a part of it), has, for the most part, never been exposed to a print culture. Most of our news and information comes from television, the internet, and yes, youtube. But more to my point is that fact that most of the people growing up in this generation will settle for nothing less than the reality that these outlets provide. I can log onto youtube and actually look up footage of the 9/11 attacks, or view pictures of a real crime scene, or watch real people get shot in Iraq. This is the type of news that is available to us today, and anything that isn’t as “real” or “true” is simply dismissed as an orchestrated lie.

It’s remarkable to think how much this country has changed in under 300 years of history. We’ve gone from a county (and I guess the same can be said about most developed countries) where print was the primary means of informational  exchange, to a place where we’ll only believe something to be true if we see it actually taking place (be it on a television or computer screen).

As Starr points out, the advancements made with the postal system, newspapers, and education all took place before the industrial revolution ran its course.  It seems to me that technological advancements have served to all but eliminate the need for print. Technology is probably the most obvious reason that we’ve headed down this path, and it just makes me wonder where we’ll be in another 20 years. 

Creation of the Media: Into and Chpt 1

I won't lie, reading the title of this book's introduction made me make some premature judgements about where the readings were headed: "The Political Origins of Modern Communication."  Where this chapter began had me in a mind frame that was no where close to where is was when the chapter ended. Although quite interesting, the ways in which European and American governments implemented policies and laws to control communication is somewhat of a stale topic for me.

But as this chapter progresses, it becomes much less about the role of politics in the creation of the media and more about the mind-set of the people. I find it somewhat obvious that each of the countries discussed (America, England, and France) have their histories of censorship of control of communication. But the more fascinating side of the equation comes from the role of the people and their ability to shape the development of a more open and progressive media culture.

Early on, one  element that struck me is where Starr mentions how Americans have very little interest in the theoretical and abstract side of human knowledge, and they simply are consumers of FACTS. I found this claim to go against my personal ways of thinking and communicating. Unlike the Americans Starr describes, I am a person who is more concerned with "knowledge" than "information." My background in epistemology has made me into someone that doesn't always necessarily concern myself with facts and data. Instead, I try to look at the bigger picture when trying to contemplate whether or not what we claim to call "information" can even be counted as knowledge.

It makes you wonder what our society might be like today had we taken more of the "French" approach to newspaper reporting in the 19th and 20th centuries. As Starr points out, the French newspapers primarily consisted of "literary essays," whereas American newspapers simply stuck to reporting the news. I can see how that is reflected today in the cultures of each country. Albeit stereotypically, France is a country that is largely associated with its "high culture." Elegant museums, decadent foods, and sophisticated literature are all things that I would associate with French culture. Meanwhile--and maybe this is just because I've lived here my whole life--the stereotypes associated with everyday Americans are that we have a tendency to be lazy and stupid. Now, the majority of you reading this blog certainly don't fall into that category, but I think you get the point.

Perhaps this, in part, answers Starr when he writes, "what kind of society it proves to be will ultimately be a political choice" (19). I think we've already begun to see a very distinct society created by the American media, and I don't necessarily believe that the results have all been because of political choices. Today, in a society where we basically have access to anything and everything (or at least we like to think we do), it seems that the people have more of a choice in what type of society we'll become.   When a video of a kid going crazy because he's on laughing gas has about 5 million hits on youtube, I think the people have spoke.

Well, I guess reading the first few chapters of this book have really got me thinking positively! I don't necessarily think that Starr intended this type of reaction, especially from the book's introduction. But the media and it's role in shaping society is a very interesting topic for me, and it's one that sends my mind in many different directions. That being said, I did enjoy what I've read so far, and I look forward to the internal debates that will develop from further readings.

About Me

1) Where are you from?  How would you describe your hometown?

 The question "Where am I from" is, believe it or not,  a rather difficult one for me to answer. Actually, it's probably more difficult for you to read to my answer. Technically I was born in Houston, Texas, but for most of my life I lived in Denver, Colorado. For some odd reason, my mother and father were adamant that my two brothers and I were all be born in the same state. So despite my family living in CO at the time of my birth, my mother flew to Houston for my delivery. I know, pretty odd.

I consider my hometown to be a suburb of Denver called Greenwood Village, and I don't think that I could have grown up in a better town. It was a rather small community, where I knew most of my neighbors and I never had to travel far to get groceries, gas, or find a good restaurant. It is also very close to Denver, so I was able to enjoy the perks of a big city. If you couldn't tell, I have very pleasant memories of my "hometown."

2) Describe yourself as a reader.

 I absolutely love to read, but I always have this fear in the back of mind that I don't read enough. There are so many things  out there to read that I often feel uncomfortable coming to decisions about what is "good," especially when there is so much I haven't read. That being said, I am an avid reader of American Southern Literature. My favorite writer, without a doubt, is Harry Crews. He has a voice and a language that I find to be absolutely captivating, and I try to read one of his novels at least once per year. I tend to read a lot of novels, but lately I have gotten into graphic novels and some historical non-fiction. There is a possibility that I may be slightly obsessed with reading film reviews. It's not uncommon for me to browse the internet for hours reading several reviews on films that I have seen, usually just to gain multiple perspectives. 

3) Describe yourself as a writer.

As a writer, I am someone who does his best work under pressure. Yes, that means I tend to procrastinate quite a bit. I have never had much success stretching out my writing process over a long period, mainly because I find it difficult to write in the same tone and train of thought over a long period. I usually do all of my academic writing by hand, and I edit and revise my work as I type it into a word-proceser. It is a system that worked pretty well as an undergrad, and it hasn't failed me yet. 

I have little to no experience with creative writing, but I am certainly open to expanding my writing horizons as a graduate student. 

4) What are your goals for this semester?

My goals of the semester are to first become familiar with the department and the town of Fort Worth. I'd like to establish relationships with my professors and fellow students and find my comfort zone here at TCU. 

I want to emerge myself in the readings and to find a comfortable routine that allows me to perform my best. As a result, I would certainly like to find success in the class room. But more importantly, I want to discover, or at least begin to discover, what my main areas of study will be in the years to come and become comfortable with myself as a grad student.

5) Describe the worst class or the worst teacher you have ever had.

Wow, this is an easy one for me. The worst class I have ever taken was unsurprisingly taught by the worst teacher that I've ever had. It was an AP Spanish class my junior year of high school. The teacher was very unorganized, and I could tell that she didn't really care whether or not any person actually learned to speak Spanish. For the most part, we watched a lot of movies during class (all of them in English), and we played the board game version of Jeopardy. I know, it may sound like a GREAT class, but it wasn't so great when I took the AP Spanish exam and I had learned very little Spanish. 

6) List three books that have deeply touched your life.

The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

Father and Son by Larry Brown

7) List three things that you know about the US during the years 1770-1830.

Revolutionary War

Declaration of Independence

George Washington became President

12) Tell me three things that I ought to know about you.

I just graduated from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO with by BA in English Literature. I also studied Philosophy as a required second field.

Aside from literature, I have an unyielding passion for film. 

Even though I just recently learned how, I really love to cook.